Window regulator mechanism



1959 E. A. SCHNEIDEWIND 2 ,87

wmoow REGULATOR MECHANISM Filed June 7. 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

AT TOPNEY 1959 E. ASCHNElDEWIND 2,

WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM 5 SheetS -Sheet 2 Filed June 7, 1956 TTOPNEKFeb. 17, 1959 E. A. SCHYNEIDEWIND 7 2,873,612

WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM 7 Filed June 7, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENTOR.

4 TT'ORNEY ilnited States Patent D WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM Edward A.Schneidewind, Detroit, Mich, assignor to General Motors Corporation,Detroit, Micln, a corporation of Delaware Application June 7, 1956,Serial No. 590,031

Claims. ('Cl. 74-89) This invention relates to window regulatormechanisms and more particularly to window regulator mechanisms adaptedfor use in vehicle bodies.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved windowregulator mechanism adapted for use in vehicle bodies. Another object ofthis invention is to provide a new and improved window regulatormechanism adapted for use in vehicle bodies and operative to move thewindow to a plurality of positions and hold the window in any positionthereof without shifting movement of the window.

These and other objects of this invention will be readily apparent fromthe following specification and drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partial view of a vehicle body embodying a windowregulator mechanism according to this invention, with parts broken awayfor clarity of illustration and the window being shown in closedposition;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of thewindow regulatormechanism of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by line 33 ofFigure 2; and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the window in openposition.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, a vehicle body is providedwith a rear window opening 12. A window 14 mounted within a window frame16 is adapted to open and close the window opening 12 and is movablebetween a closed position, as shown in Figure 1, and an open position,as shown in Figure 4, wherein the window is positioned obliquely withinthe window well 18 below the lower edge portion 20 of the windowopening. Front and rear arcuately shaped guide channels 22 and 24,respectively, are provided within window well 18 to guide the window inits movement between open and closed positions. The front guide channel22 is located in spaced relationship to the vehicle body inner panel 26and has its base adjacent the lower end thereof secured to a bracket 27mounted on the vehicle body inner panel at 28. The upper end of thefront guide channel is also secured in a suitable manner to the vehiclebody inner panel. An adjustable stop 29 adjacent the lower end of thefront guide channel locates the forward portion of window 14 in openposition. The rear guide channel 24 is supported at its lower end on thevehicle body inner panel 26 by a bracket 30 secured thereto at 32. Theupper end of this guide channel is supported on the vehicle body innerpanel 26 by an angular bracket 34 which is secured to the rear side ofthe guide channel and secured to the body inner panel beneath the guidechannel.

Front and rear brackets36 and 38, respectively, are secured to the lowerwindow frame member of window frame 16 and mount studs 40 which areadapted to interlock within the front and rear guide channels so as topivotally and slidably interconnect the window with the guide channels.As previously mentioned, the guide channels guide the movement of thewindow between 2,873,812 Patented Feb. 17, 1959 open and closedpositions. Since the rear wheel housing 42 projects into the window well18, window 14 cannot be moved between closed and open positions along avertical path but must be rotated in its vertical path of movement inorder to be disposed within the window well. This rotational movement ofwindow 14 is imparted to the window by the front and rear guide channelsso that the window is disposed in an oblique position within window well18 in the open position thereof, as shown in Figure 4.

A window lift arm 44 pivotally supported by the body inner panel 26, aswill be described, imparts translational movement to the window. Theupper end 'of the lift arm mounts a laterally outwardly extending stud46 which is pivotally and slidably received within an inwardly openingchannel 48 secured to the lower window frame member of window frame 16intermediate brackets 36 and 38. The window lift arm 44 swings betweenthe front guide channel 22 and the body inner panel.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, theoperating mechanism for lift arm 44 will be described. A back plate 50is detachably secured in a suitable manner to the vehicle body innerpanel 26. The lower portion of the back plate includes an outwardlyembossed portion 52, and the lower end of lift arm 44 is pivotallysecured to embossed portion 52 at 54. A tab 56 lanced out of theembossed portion extends laterally inwardly thereto to provide a stopfor the outer end 58 of the coil counterbalance spring whichcounterbalances the lift arm. The inner end of the coil counterbalancespring is secured to pivot 54 in a suitable manner as is well known.

A toggle linkage includes link 60 pivoted at 62 on an outwardly embossedcircular portion 64 of the back plate and pivoted at 66 to one end oflink 68. The other end of link 68 is pivoted at 70 on lift arm 44intermediate the pivot 54 of the lift arm on the back plate and the stud46 which is pivotally secured to the upper end of the lift arm. When thewindow 14 is in closed position, as shown in Figure l, the togglelinkage is disposed in a substantially folded position to the upper sideof lift arm 44 and defines an angle of less than 98 degrees. When thewindow is moved to open position, as shown in Figure 4, by downwardswinging movement of the lift arm 44 about pivot 54, the toggle linkageis partially unfolded to define an angle of approximately degrees butstill remains to the upper side of the lift arm. Thus, it can be seenthat the toggle linkage does not cross over the lift arm in any positionthereof and moves between a folded and partially unfolded position uponmovement of the lift arm between window closed and window openpositions. The toggle linkage also moves between the front guide channel22 and the vehicle body inner panel 26 as can be seen in Figure 1.

In order to fold and unfold the toggle linkage to swing the lift arm, amanually operable mechanism is provided as shown particularly in Figures2 and 3. A threaded shaft 72 is threadedly receive by a nut 74 which ispivotally secured to link 68 by having a shouldered end of the nutextend through an aperture 76 in the link and being peened over a washer78 which bears against link 68. The lower end of shaft 72 is receivedwithin a slot 89 provided in a laterally outwardly extending tab 82lanced out of back plate 50. A circular opening 84 is provided in backplate 50 adjacent the upper end thereof and a gear housing 86 secured tothe back plate at 88 covers the outer side of the opening. Housing 86includes an annular outwardly extending embossed portion 90, and asleeve 92 which extends laterally outwardly from the center of theembossed portion. A swivel hear: ing 94 is swingably mounted on thesleeve 92 of housing 86 and retained in place by peening the end ofsleeve 92 over a washer 96. The U-shaped support portion 98 of theswivel bearing has a slot 100 in its base web which provides a bearingfor the upper end of shaft 72. A bevel gear 102 fits within supportportion 98 and is splined at 104 to the upper end of the shaft toaxially locate the shaft within slot 100. A downwardly extendingprojection.105 of bearing 94 bears against the upper face of bevel gear102 to hold the lower face thereof in bearing engagement with the upperface of the base web of support portion 98 to locate the bevel gear andprevent axial shifting movement thereof and of shaft 72. Housing 86 iscut out at 106 to provide space for bevel gear 102 and to also allow acertain amount of swinging movement of the swivel bearing and bevel gearas a unit relative to the housing as will be described.

A shaft 108 has one shouldered end 110 thereof slidably and rotatablyreceived by the sleeve 92 of housing 86. A bevel gear 112 splined at 114to shaft 108 drivingly meshes with the bevel gear 102 splined to shaft72. A gear casing 116 includes an annular flange 118 which is secured at120 to the flange of gear housing 86 to mount the gear casing on theback plate. The gear casing includes a central annular embossed portion122 which extends laterally inwardly with respect to the back plate andis provided with a flanged opening 124. The gear casing surrounds bevelgear 112, as shown in Figure 3, with the rear face of the bevel gearbearing against the base of the central annular portion 122 of the gearcasing and a-sleeve portion 126 of the bevel gear fitting within theflanged opening 124 of the casing to provide a bearing support for thebevel gear and to also locate the end 110 of shaft 108 within sleeve 92.The bevel gear 112 also radially locates the upper end of shaft 72within slot 100 since the bevel gear meshes with bevel gear 102 and islocated by gear casing 116. A portion of the gear casing 116 is cut awayat 128 to provide both rotary and swinging clearance for bevel gear 102.

A handle 130 is provided with a splined bore which receives the splinedend 134 of shaft 108 to mount the handle on the shaft. It will be notedthat upon rotation of handle 130 in either direction, shaft 108 andbevel gear 112 will be rotated in the same direction to drive bevel gear102 and shaft 72.

As previously mentioned, when window 14 is in closed position, as shownin Figure l, the toggle linkage is disposed to the upper side of liftarm 44 and is in a sub-' stantially folded position wherein links 60 and68 define an angle less than 90 degrees. When it is desired to move thewindow 14 from its closed position, as shown in Figure l, to its openposition within the window well 18, as shown in Figure 4, handle 130 ismanually rotated to drive shaft 108 and bevel gear 112 in the approriatedirection. Upon rotation of bevel gear 112, bevel gear 102 and shaft 72will also be rotated. Since nut 74 is held against rotation by beingpivotally secured to link 60, rotation of shaft 72 will cause the nut totravel axially and downwardly along the shaft as the shaft is rotated.As the nut moves axially and downwardly along shaft 72, it will swinglink 60 counterclockwise about its pivot 62 as viewed in Figures 1, 2,and 4 to thereby shift link 68 downwardly and swing lift arm 44counterclockwise about its pivot 54 on the back plate.

As previously mentioned, the toggle linkage remains to the upper side oflift arm 44 in all positions thereof and does not cross over the liftarm in any manner. Thus, as the lift arm 44 swings counterclockwiseabout its pivot-54 or downwardly within window well 18, links 60 and 66will be partially unfolded from their position shown in Figure l andwill define an angle of approximately 90 degrees when the window is inopen position.

During the movement of nut 74 axially and downwardly along shaft 72, thenut must also move in an are having its center at the pivot 62 of link60 on the back plate. In order to allow for this movement of nut 74,

the swivel bearing 94 is employed to swingably support the upper end ofshaft 72 and the lower end of the shaft is slidably mounted in the slotof tab 82. Thus, as link 60 swings counterclockwise about pivot 62 tomove the window to open position upon axial and downward movement of nut74 along shaft 72, the shaft and swivel bearing 94 will swing slightlyclockwise about an axis defined by the axis of rotation of shaft 108 asthe lower end of the shaft shifts toward the left side of slot 80 asviewed in Figures 2 and 4. As previously mentioned, the gear housing 86is cut away at 106 to allow for this swinging and rotary movement ofbevel gear 102, and the gear casing 116 is similarly cut away at 128 forthe same purpose. If it is desired to move window 14 to closed positionas shown in Figure 1 from an open position within window well 18, thereverse procedure takes place.

Thus, the window regulator mechanism of this invention is of relativelysimple construction and yet provides for easy operation of a vehiclewindow. The window is held in any position thereof without shiftingmovement due to the threaded interaction of nut 74 and shaft 72. Thepitch of the threads on the shaft and on the nut are so dimensioned thatthe nut will not move axially of the shaft regardless of the load onlink 60 without rotary movement of the shaft. The window regulatormechanism is therefore operative to move the window to a plurality ofpositions and to also hold the window in any position thereof withoutshifting movement of the window.

Although the window regulator mechanism of this invention has been shownand described in conjunction with the rear window of a vehicle body, itwill be appreciated that the mechanism may be used with equal success onother windows of vehicle bodies and in other installations.

I claim:

l. A window regulator mechanism comprising, a support, a driving armswingably mounted on said support, articulated linkage means having onelink thereof pivotally mounted on said support and another link thereofpivotally secured to said driving arm, rotatable operating means mountedon said support for swinging movement relative thereto, and meansmovable axially of said operating means upon rotation thereof andoperatively secured to one of said links intermediate the ends thereofto swing said one link about its pivot and thereby fold and unfold saidlinkage means to swing said driving arm relative to said support, saidoperating means swinging relative to said support upon axial movement ofsaid means to allow said means to move in an arc defined by said pivotof said one of said links,

2. A window regulator mechanism comprising, a support, a driving armswingably mounted on said support, articulated linkage means having onelink thereof pivotally mounted on said support and'the other linkthereof pivotally secured to said driving arm, rotatable operating meansswingably mounted on said support, and means movable axially of saidoperating means upon rotation thereof and pivotally secured to said onelink intermediate the ends thereof to swing said one link relative tosaid support and thereby fold and unfold said linkage means to swingsaid driving arm relative to said support, said operating means swingingrelative to said support upon axial movement ofsaid means to allow saidmeans to move in an arc defined by the pivot of said one of said linkson said support.

3. A window regulator mechanism comprising, a support, a driving armswingably mounted on said support, articulated linkage means having onelink thereof pivotally mounted on said support and another link thereofpivotally secured to said driving arm, shaft means rotatably mounted onsaid support, rotatable operating means swingably mounted on said shaftmeans, means movabl? ax a y s S s ng me ns, pon mtatien thereof andoperatively connected to said one of said links to swing said one linkabout its pivot on the support and thereby fold and unfold said linkagemeans to swing said driving arm relative to said support, said rotatableoperating means and said axially movable means cooperating to hold saiddriving arm in any adjusted position thereof, driving means on saidshaft means, means on said operating means operatively connected to saiddriving means to rotate said operating means upon rotation of saiddriving means, and means limiting the swinging movement of saidrotatable operating means about said shaft means.

4. A window regulator mechanism comprising, a support, a driving armswingably mounted on said support, an articulated linkage having onelink thereof pivotally secured to said support and the other linkthereof secured to said driving arm, a shaft rotatably mounted on saidsupport, a lead screw swingably mounted on said shaft, a nut movableaxially of said lead screw upon rotation thereof and pivotally connectedto said one of said links intermediate the ends thereof to swing saidone link about its pivot on the support and thereby fold and unfold saidlinkage to swing said driving arm relative to said support, said leadscrew and said nut cooperating to hold said driving arm in any adjustedposition thereof, gear drive means operatively interconnecting saidshaft and said lead screw, means for rotating said shaft to therebyrotate said lead screw, and means limiting the swinging movement of saidlead screw relative to said support.

5. A window regulator mechanism comprising, a support, a driving armswingably mounted on said support,

an articulated linkage having one link thereof pivotally secured to saidsupport and the other link thereof pivotally secured to said drivingarm, a housing member secured to said support and having an aperturedboss therein, a shaft rotatably mounted on said support at one endthereof and having the other end thereof slidably and rotatably receivedwithin said boss, a yoke member swingably mounted on said boss, a leadscrew member, a bevel gear secured to one end of said lead screw memberand rotatably received within said yoke member, a nut movable axially ofsaid lead screw and pivotally connected to said one of said linksintermediate the ends References Cited in the file of this patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 1,562,718 Olsen Nov. 24, 1925 1,718,484 Nelson June 25,1929 2,186,353 Wheeler Jan. 9, 1940 2,263,062 Allen Nov. 18, 19412,541,579 Fish M Feb. 3, 1951 2,688,779 Westman Sept. 14, 1954

